Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice frothy beer that has interesting flavours of not-very-sweet dried fruit. Malt and dextrose on the finish. It's not very warming, but it's definitely a good all-around beer. Nothing impressive, though. I don't taste much of the spice, which is great because I hate ginger, which it supposedly has in it.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 04:35:17 | More by ElCommodoro

TeamMathis

West Virginia

3.69/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Reddish brown.
Smell: Chocolaty.
Taste: Cinnamon and chocolate malt. Hints of other spices. Egg.
Mouthfeel: Creamy carbonation.

This really is a good tasting holiday treat from Sam. The smell is mostly chocolate in my opinion, and then the taste of the cinnamon and chocolate compliment it nicely. It's almost like a lightly spiced maple syrup with carbonation. I will get this again next Christmas.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:13:27 | More by TeamMathis

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

appearance - poured into a tumbler w/ a nice head of about 3/4". retained reasonably well. dark pour similar to a porter.

Smell - malts overtook the hops for a rich malty smell

Taste - mirrored the smell with a richness

Mouthfeel - not too harsh or bitter

overall - worth the try but not a goto beer

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 23:23:40 | More by Segelstrom

karait95

Mexico

4.21/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark reddish color with a medium sized head formed by light brown bubbles with low dissipation, some traces are left behind on the glass, a thin layer is formed on top of the beer, carbonation is medium.

S: Not as intense as expected, of course malty and some spicies can be detected like the hops and the orange peels.

T: Very rich flavor, many things can be detected such as the malty backbone and the hops, in line with aroma, also some species even not easy to know but flavor is complex, caramel malts and high alcohol.

M: Balanced and with a good lasting ending, start with some sweetness and then neutral for a sweet with some bitter ending.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 04:20:00 | More by karait95

emyers

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz. bottle poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear amber brown color with a half-inch beige head.

Smell: Caramel up front with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Toasted biscuit, then more caramel. Smells pretty sweet. Quite nice.

Taste: Similar to the smell, although the caramel malt is not as deep as I thought it would be. Instead, toasted bready malt character takes over. Spices are still present. Pleasant, balanced beer. Definitely not everwhelming with the spices.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very smooth. Could use a touch more body, but it's a fairly minor complaint.

Overall: I'll be honest, there aren't many Sam Adams beers that I get excited about, but this is definitely one of the few. A very solid winter warmer, and the only reason I buy the Sam Adams winter pack every year.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 02:09:14 | More by emyers

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.94/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

"Old Fezziwig Ale is in the tradition of special seasoned beers for the winter Holidays, and takes its name from the festive character in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." This is a hearty, rich, brownish-red ale that gets its character from large amounts of specialty malts. These roasted caramel and chocolate malts give it a very full body and a smooth taste that's then spiced with a touch of cinnamon, ginger and orange. Happy Holidays!" Brewed in the style of a Winter Warmer, available almost exclusively as part of Samuel Adams' Winter Classics variety pack and one of their most popular offerings.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a snifter. Served north of 54º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a thick, creamy tannish white head with a decent retention and frothy surface cover. Body color is a filtered mahogany brown with ample carbonation, light enough to see through when held to light. Lacing and head quality are shorter than expected, but overall it's a decent-looking beer. 3.5

(Smell) Thoroughly roasted caramel malts and a snap of chocolate for a toasty but sweet malty front. Bready malts are complimented with subtle hints of ginger snaps, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel in decreasing order, perhaps a bit too shallow for compliment to the aroma. Aroma is chock full with warm flavor- for a winter warmer it is clean and well rounded. Despite being short a few notches of my expectations for spice presence, the aroma is potent at the right temperature and lack of any notable imperfections makes for a highly anticipated winter brew. 4.25

(Taste) Smooth, bready roasted caramel malt syrup provides a toasty sweetness. Cinnamon is preserved best in the flavor, and raisin is also a notable compliment for a fruitcake sweetness. Ginger and orange are notable and contribute to the mild drying finish and some faint holiday spice notes to the flavor. Despite balance being slightly malty over spice-led, the malt profile is very quaffable and the holiday spices give a decent show of balance to the beer. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Smooth, slick and mildly creamy texture- carbonation doesn't come out as too spritely or intrusive, merely giving just the texture the beer needs. Mildly dry orange rind and ginger candy finish. There is a medium+ body for the style and medium body amongst all beers. Alcohol presence is low, quite well concealed by the spice profile. 4.25

(Drinkability) When compared to the world of Winter Warmers, Old Fezziwig is less adventurous than its brethren, making simple choices in balancing flavor and drinkability. The malt profile is beautifully roasted and just sweet enough, flavorful and clean drinking. The spice choices were all great compliments and didn't overpower the flavor profile that the malt was pulling off. There are very enjoyable flavors and textures in this winter ale. It is one of my choice holiday brews and I recommend seeking this brew out next winter season. 4

Boston Beer Company's
Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
3.94/5.00

Vertical Notes:

2011 (1 Year, 4 months aged)

Head quality is similar in consistency and color, although it settles slightly faster than the fresh age. Body color is very similar, although a slightly more fuller crimson red tone prevails. The aroma is notably different from the fresh vintage from a huskier malted aroma with a souring note- most of the character of cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel has vanished to time, but the remaining aroma still manages to carry its own, despite some booziness and rough edges. The flavor is equally impacted with a smooth and creamy grain bill with a mild boozy finish, again with no orange, ginger or spice. A bit of alcohol heat has been gained during the wait time for this beer, and the body, while even smoother than in the fresh is prickly and uneven. A lot of the viability of this beer has been lost with aging and I certainly preferred the fresh batch. It did not age particularly well.

Recommended Vintage: Fresh

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 04:16:06 | More by Jadjunk

wiscokid920

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Part of the SA Winter Sampler. 12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A- Dark reddish brown in color with a fluffy thick one finger head which sticks and lingers nicely.

S- Raisin fruity sweetness, chocolate malt, cinnamon, ginger, and faint orange zest in the background.

T- Chocolate malt and caramel sweetness, raisins, with a nice roasted character in the middle of the sip and ends with a nice cinnamon, ginger spicy pop.

M- Smooth, medium bodied brew with a nice warming effect. Lots of different flavors going on with this offering with nothing over powering the other. Pleasantly balanced.

O- A great take on a winter seasonal. Very balanced considering all the different dynamics of this brew. Definitely the best of the group within the Winter Sampler.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2013 04:39:12 | More by wiscokid920

Bills453

Ohio

3.84/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - dark brown color. Looks like the color of a coke. A one finger head that faded very quickly.

Smell - a sweet yeasty smell. Definitely some sweet spices.

Taste - mmm. I love old fezziwig. Such a unique Xmas taste. Tastes like CHRISTMAS!

Mouthfeel - normal

Overall - whenever a Sam Adams winter 6pack is purchased, the old fezziwig IS MINE!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 01:38:49 | More by Bills453

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

4.93/5  rDev +30.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

I get these every winter in my winter colection cases, great artwork and name...very fitting.

A holiday booster, a bold beer but not heavy, easy to drink and highly recommended.

Harvest notes, with slight hints of chocolate, raison, coffee, and black malt.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 16:15:28 | More by FlatRabbitRed

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into perfect pint glass, best before May 2013. Pours crystal clear reddish brown color with a nice 2 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a nice amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of caramel, toast, toffee, ginger, cinnamon, citrus peel, chocolate, nutmeg, brown sugar, dark bread, light roasted malt, and light grassy hops. Damn nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of malt/spice notes. Taste of toffee, caramel, toast, brown sugar, cinnamon, milk chocolate, ginger, light citrus peel, raisin, dark bread, and grassy hops. Lingering notes of toffee, caramel, toast, brown sugar, raisin, chocolate, dark bread, cinnamon, ginger, and light herbal on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice flavor balance with good complexity; with great robustness and balance of malt/spice flavors; and nearly zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice Christmas beer! Nice flavor balance with big robustness; and very smooth to drink. This was a very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 05:38:34 | More by superspak

thegodfather1076

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Presentation: Great festive label with really nice artwork. Label gives a small amount of info on the brewery as well as the ABV info and a short description of the beer. Neck label gives a more detailed background and description of the beer.

Appearance: I poured this 12oz bottle into a 16oz English Pint. Fezziwig pours out a deep amber brownish color with a 1 ½ finger tan foam head of a light density. Retention was 2min 26sec before fading to a thin foam coating and ring. Produced a medium amount of lacing.

Smell/Aroma: Smells of ginger and chocolate malts with slight hints of cinnamon and sweet citrus. Very inviting!

Flavor/Taste: Roast chocolate malts and hints of smoke along with hints of cinnamon and raisin can be tasted on the front end, blending into a nice hop bitterness that finally gives way to a malty roasty finish. Very nice.

MouthFeel/Drinkability: Medium bodied and very smooth with medium carbonation. Very drinkable.

Overall/Comments: Fezziwig is an excellent Winter Warmer and my favorite seasonal from Sam Adams. A truly excellently balanced beer. I only wish this were available in 6-packs and not just in the Winter Classics sampler. Classified as a Winter Warmer at 5.9% ABV. Consumed 1/10/2013.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 10:53:42 | More by thegodfather1076

Damian

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Drank from a 12 fl. oz. bottle
For brewery-fresh taste, enjoy before month notched APR
Served in a pint glass

Thanks to my dad for saving me one of each beer from the Winter Classics Variety Pack.

A tight, frothy, two-finger, tan colored head topped the crystal clear mahogany body. The crown slowly dropped to a thick, clingy film. Large, drippy patches of lacing coated the glass.

Not much happening with the aroma. It was quite powdery and dry initally. Subtle ginger notes were detectible. Slightly spicy. An underlying biscuity and caramel malt presence lent some sweetness. Slightly fruity. Overall, rather boring.

The taste was significantly more robust. Biscuity and caramel malts appeared on the front end. Somewhat bready. Good amount of spices. Ginger was noticeable. Citrus zest came through on the back end. Pine and citrus notes rounded out the finish.

Super plush, creamy and slick on the palate. Fuller bodied for the style. Silky smooth.

Old Fezziwig Ale hit the spot tonight. This is definitely one of the better beers in the Sam Adams Winter Classics Variety Pack.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 02:19:40 | More by Damian

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Old Fezziwig is a Christmas beer I’ve always heard good things about; happy to be tasting it during this cold January day. Cheers.

A: Beautiful crystalline amber color, dark with hints of red. Head is short and fizzy with hilly retention and long strands of lacing.

S: Sweet, buttery caramel and toffee erupts from the nose like a warm Christmas treat – smells like someone’s making butterscotch candy. Absolutely decadent, it’s as inviting as anything you can imagine coming out of a glass. Full notes of dark fruits, like a bock with all its raisin, baked apple, and date. A mouthwateringly-sweet nose on this one.

T: A more bitter palate than the nose would have led me to believe, but in the manner of an English ale: malt tannins, a huskiness you can taste, with a steady tartness of herbal hops and orange rind. Baguette flavor makes this a full-flavored ale, but with a focus on some of the harsher tastes of crust rather than soft breads. That, plus nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of pine give this a superb gingerbread character (though the bitters make it taste baked to nearly burnt). Finishes with a peaty dryness and some lingering toffee candy tones, though not an overly-sweet aftertaste overall.

M: Full and rounded on the edges with the softness of an English pub ale. Easy to drink, this is one ale I could see myself drinking a few pints of.

O: Some spiced ales get it right, and this is one of them. No doubt that Old Fezziwig’s meaty, malty character and old-world style would make it loveable for just about anybody, especially in the colder months.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 20:07:02 | More by BarryMFBurton

NuclearSoAndSo

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a beer mug

Appearance- Pours a chestnut brown with a 3 finger cream-colored head that stuck around for a while.

Smell- I picked up on notes of hops, honey, and traces of cinnamon and orange.

Taste- Bitter at first with a bit of a sweet finish. Starts out with a hoppy/orange taste and fades into a slight chocolate and caramel aftertaste. Pretty balanced; this reminds me of an amber.

Mouthfeel- Had a medium body with light carbonation.

Overall- Overall this was a pretty good beer. This reinforces my decision to buy the Samuel Adams Winter Sampler; I could see myself buying a 6-pack of this, were it available.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 19:17:40 | More by NuclearSoAndSo

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. “MAY” is the “enjoy before” month notched on the side of the label.

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is light mahogany. About two fingers of dense, buttery, lightly tanned head dissipated slowly.

Smell: It’s a battle between malts and festive spice! I think the malts win, though — which I have no problem with. Caramel, toffee, maple syrup, plum, cherry licorice, black raspberry. Underneath is a little cinnamon and ginger, and it also smells a little like dirty socks. Weird.

Taste: There is a nice balance between the malts and holiday spice. Toasted malts, caramel, toffee, a bit of burnt syrup or maybe molasses, cocoa, plum, and cherry licorice. Cinnamon is the most noticeable spice, and herbal hops help counter the malts.

Drinkability: Before opening the bottle, I expected the festive winter spices to dominate. However, it is surprisingly balanced. I would definitely consider buying this again, though in a sixer of itself. (I think it is only available in the seasonal sampler.)

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 04:30:52 | More by TheQuietMan22

SaucedAntiquarian

Nebraska

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep amber with a light head. Pleasant malty scent with a hint of fruit and spice. Sweet taste that does not linger and fades quickly as it heads toward the back of the palate. Decent seasonal beer, and while not spectacular, makes for a good session brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 00:05:35 | More by SaucedAntiquarian

Minkybut

Virginia

2.85/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I poured this beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer poured a nice amber gold beer. The beer had no head at all after two minutes. The smell was nice and spacey. However the taste was not good. Flat, pseudo Christmas taste of rotten oranges and a gruel of bacteria from the bottom of a Christmas stocking that is 60 years old, that might even have had feet in it. I will not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 19:24:33 | More by Minkybut

57md

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours brown in color with a reddish-copper hue around the edges. There is a finger of head that has modest retention, but leaves some nice lacing. The nose has hints of ginger and coriander. The taste is definitely malt forward with compliments of nutmeg and other seasonal spices. The finish has a semi-dry bitterness that completes a very fine holiday experience.

I always enjoy a few of these babies during the Christmas season, but once-a-year is certainly enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 05:16:53 | More by 57md

jimmah120

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle best by may

dark clear amber brown, small head that fades to a film immediately. smell is sweet bready malt, with a touch of cinnamon. semi-watery feel gives way to ginger, spice, maybe a hint of orange, but mostly big sweet malts of chocolate toffee coffee etc

good for a winter warmer, not overly spiced, malty, tasty. could only hope for a better feel, maybe some hops.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 11:58:06 | More by jimmah120

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a thick creamy head that sat atop for what must have been ten minutes. Deep brown with ruby undertones the color is very nice.

The nose is weak but there are undertones of brewed tea, sweet malt, raisin, ginger and nutmeg.

The taste is kind of toasted, spiced with a touch of sweetness. I found the aroma more complex than the taste but the taste stronger than the nose. Had the two been reversed this may have been a classic but instead it's a decent winter ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:53:49 | More by KYGunner

NilocRellim

Minnesota

2.83/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This ale poured out from a bottle and was very dark amber in colour; almost brown, and clear. There was little smell other than a slight hint of malt. I could not detect any of the spices other than a slight smell of cinnamon within the nose. The ale was sweetly malty in taste; clean cinnamon and orange peel flavour. No clear aftertaste.

Would I buy this beer again? Probably not.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 04:51:48 | More by NilocRellim

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz from mix pack. Cant believe it took this long to review this guy, not sams best beer, but my favorite. A yearly staple for me. One of the beers that got me into craft.

A: Clear brown with ruby hue. Small head. No real lacing.

S: Caramel, toffee, molasses, perhaps some vanilla and cinnamon. Some ripe oranges too. Pleasant.

T: Taste brings ginger snaps, molasses, brown bread, toffee and caramel. Maybe some nutmeg/cinnamon. I get some orange peel towards middle and end. All the spice notes a pretty big, but not overpowering, perfect amount for me. Has an english style to it, very tasty.

M: Low carbonation, kinda syrupy, a bit oily. Seems a wee bit off. Pretty sessionable, i could probably take down 4/5 of these no problem.

O: Pairs great with desserts, my favorite winter warmer. Plenty of spices to go around, and a very smooth malt bill. One of sam adams best brews, they should sell this in 6 packs. Just 2 make the mix pack worth it.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:08:09 | More by BigCheese

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Extremely dark coffee color with a one finger yellowish head. No a lacing.

S - Metallic, slight vanilla. Not much of a nose on this one.

T- Roasted malts, chocolate, molasses, a bit hoppy on the finish.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O - Overall, a good easy drinking winter beer. I'd definitely have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 00:59:01 | More by SometimesIfart

d1ckvanswype

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. From the recent Winter Wonderland pack.

A: Pours with a scant half finger of head, which quickly dissipates, leaving barely any collar and fairly absent of lacing. Looks pretty dark, but shows red-amber and crystal clear held up to light.

S: Sweet malts, you can smell the chocolate and caramel malts, but only a trace of a citrus-y hop. Very underwhelming.

T: Fairly sweet and malty with a hint of cinnamon at first, which turns into a somewhat astringent bitterness. Pleasant at first but turns aspirin-like after a few sips. After letting the aftertaste sit for awhile it comes back to chocolate malts. Did not taste the ginger or orange this was supposedly brewed with.

M: Light carbonation, a bit prickly on the tongue. A little thin-bodied for a Winter Warmer, but it does sit nicely on the tongue after swallowing.

O: Not the best Fezziwig I've had, the spice notes are very light and the aspirin bitterness gets a little heavy after awhile. Would probably be better after a few pints.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 17:52:00 | More by d1ckvanswype

Hunter

Arizona

2.63/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Deep reddish brown ale with a thin head than dissipates into a wispy thread almost immediately.

Smell: Light notes of malt, honey, citrus

Taste: Strangely bland. It's not bad, just seems like much of the flavor that's meant to be there is muted. Malt, caramels, light hops. Some hint of orange zest and coriander in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Thin, easily forgettable

Overall: Despite my scores, this is not a bad ale. It's primary attribute, however, is how utterly mediocre it is. So far as seasonals go there are much more complex, rich offerings to choose from.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 23:53:21 | More by Hunter